Mashed Potato Patty Cakes

First and foremost, let's hear a round of applause for my 300th blog post! YEAHHHH!!! Trying my bestest to keep them comin'!

Now, back to business. Every year my office participates in an company-wide Thanksgiving Potluck. Most people purchase pies and appetizers from the grocery store, while the company pitches in for the big stuff like the turkey, brisket, and honey ham. I admit, I was one of those. I was the girl who would bring ice, or bread, or napkins and utensils because I just didn't have the guts to bring something homemade and be subject to the criticism that can came from a bad mistake. But lately my confidence levels have risen above my insecurities and I actually want to bring something made by moi! Last year I made Twice-Baked Potatoes and they turned out delish! This year, I'm sticking to my potato theme and made Mashed Potato Cakes. I figure I can take this opportunity to make guinea pigs out of my co-workers and get the OK to make it for my real Thanksgiving dinner with family (...but don't tell them I said that!)

I followed this recipe pretty closely, but skipped out on the bacon bits. Also, please don't let my crappy iPhone picture deter you away from trying these! If you click on the website, you'll see much more beautiful pics of these patty cakes that show their true beauty.

Ingredients:
- Instant mashed potatoes (I made 2 packets and got 28 cakes from it them, and doubled the rest of the recipe)
*Or make them from scratch (I just didn't feel like it)
- 2/3 cup shredded cheddar mix cheese
- 1-1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp chives, chopped

Steps:
(1) In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly with your hands. Much more fun this way.
(2) Scoop out a small handful of the potato mixture, and shape it into patties.
*I wanted small patties. They're about 3" in diameter.
(3) Spray a large pan/skillet with Pam and set it on the stove over medium/high heat.
(4) Cook mashed potato patties a few at a time, about 1-2 minutes on each side.
** If you’re using a pan/skillet with a cover, put the lid on when you’re cooking each side. This will trap the heat and cook the patties all the way around, even on the edges.
(5) Serve warm, with sour cream, bacon bits, or even extra shredded cheese if you prefer.

 If you're interested in other recipes by this blogger, click here. She's got tons of creative dishes!